


The Little Things

by lokidyinginside



Series: A Place in this World [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Hawkeye (Comics), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Young Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Becoming a family, Ceiling Vent Clint Barton, Clint Barton & Kate Bishop Friendship, Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Clint Barton's Farm, Clint wants to give her that love, Comfort, Domestic Fluff, F/F, F/M, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Feels, Fluff, Foster Care, High School, Hope, Hurt, I want to rant about people hurting my babies, I'm Bad At Tagging, Kate Bishop Is a Good Bro, Kate Bishop Needs a Hug, Kate Bishop-centric, Kate doesn't trust anyone, Kate just wants to be loved, Lucky is the best dog, M/M, Nerdiness, Orphans, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Clint Barton, Romantic Fluff, Runaway, Running Away, Small Towns, but then I remember that it's me for once, how does one tag, pietro is still dead
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-11-25 22:31:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18172304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lokidyinginside/pseuds/lokidyinginside
Summary: It's the little things in life that matter.





	The Little Things

**Author's Note:**

> Before we start, I should mention that I don't actually know that much about Kate Bishop, The Young Avengers, etc. However, this idea popped into my head and I couldn't ignore it. I am doing research on her to help me out, but any feedback or other helpful info is always welcome. That being said, this is also an AU story, meaning I can do what I want. *^*

Eleanor Bishop was dead.

Her mother was dead.

That was the only thing going through Kate Bishop's mind as she stood in front of the open casket holding her mother. Her eyes stared at her mother's pale, lifeless body. Now, her young 4-year-old brain didn't fully understand the concept of death, but she did know that her mother was gone and never coming back. She would never see the woman again. This would be the last time.

It had only been a couple months prior when her nanny, Anne, had sat her and her sister down to break the news to them. She had told them that Eleanor had been diagnosed with cancer and wasn’t going to live for much longer, not that Kate had understood at the time. She still didn’t.

All she wanted to do was to cry, to mourn. Never again would she receive her mother’s love. Never again would she have her mother’s comfort after having a nightmare or getting hurt. Never again would her mother be there to lift her spirits when she was feeling down or had lost her confidence.

Her eyes darted over to her father, who was standing a few feet away. His face held a blank, emotionless stare. He wasn’t even phased. She hadn’t once seen a single tear or the slightest hint of a frown. It was like he didn’t care that his wife and the mother of his children had passed. He was only there because he had to be. It felt wrong. How could he not care? How could he not mourn?

Her gaze once again shifted, this time to her older sister, Susan. Susan was off to the side, sitting alone on a chair that was up against the wall. Her body was stiff and her eyes glued to the floor below her feet. Susan wasn’t crying at that time, but the red puffiness in her eyes gave it away that she had been at some point. Kate could tell she was trying her hardest not to cry again and to hide just how upset she was.

At this point, Kate could feel the tears running down her face. She couldn’t hold them back any longer. She didn’t even try to. What was the point?

A few moments passed, as Kate stood there, staring at her mother and crying, before she felt the soft touch of a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Anne smiling warmly at her. She wanted to smile back, but couldn’t do it. Anne held out her hand. Kate took it and allowed herself to be led over to where her sister was.

“It’s time for us to head back home, girls.”

“Is father coming with us?” Susan asked, hopeful.

“I’m afraid not. He has other commitments,” Anne explained, as she grabbed the girls’ jackets and helped them slip them on. Both girls were disappointed, but Susan seemed like she had expected that answer.

“Now, come along. Let’s get you two home and into bed. It’s been a long day.”

 

* * *

 

 

Kate clutched a small, stuffed rabbit close to her chest as she walked down the corridor, towards her father’s study. The double doors were quite big compared to her. They were a bit intimidating if she was being honest. Nevertheless, she pushed one of the heavy doors open and proceeded to enter the room.

As expected, her father was sitting at his desk, hunched over a pile of papers, his attention fully captivated by his work. He didn’t even notice her presence, or, if he did, didn't bother to acknowledge her.

“Father?”

He finally looked up at her, “What is it? Shouldn't you be asleep?”

She nodded “I wanted to say goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” He said, “Now run along, Katherine.”

“Will you tuck me in?” She quietly asked.

“Not right now. I’m much too busy for such things.”

It was then that Anne appeared at the doorway, “There you are. Come along, it’s time for bed,” She took Kate’s hand and led her out of the room and away from her father. Kate didn’t resist, but she dragged her feet the whole way.

She was used to her father not paying her much attention, but that didn’t mean she liked it. She hated it. All she wanted was for him to hug her, to tell her he loved her, or even just smile at her once in a while. She couldn’t remember a single time where he had showed her any kind of affection.

Once they had gotten to her room, Kate got changed into her nightgown and Anne helped her up onto the bed.

“Father doesn’t care,” Kate whispered, as Anne was sat next to her, tucking her in.

Anne seemed shocked, “Excuse me?”

“He doesn’t care about us. He never has.”

“Where in the world is this coming from?” Anne asked, “Sweetie, your father loves both you and your sister.”

“No, he doesn’t.”

Her father had never been one for actively showing affection, but it had gotten so much worse after their mother’s dead a couple of months ago. Before, he had been detached, but he was still present in their lives. Since their mother’s death, however, he hadn’t even done that. He was always ‘busy’ either holed up in his study or out at the office.

She wanted to believe Anne. She truly did. She wanted to believe that her father loved her, but she couldn’t. She never felt any kind of love from him, or much of anything else.

“He does,” Anne told her, “He just has his own ways of showing it.”

Anne leaned down and kissed her head, “Go to sleep.” Kate watched as the woman stood up and left the room, stopping only to turn off the light on her way out.

The room was only illuminated by a soft nightlight on the opposite side of the room. Kate held her stuffed rabbit close to her chest, staring at the light as she drifted off into sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

Kate was surrounded by the children of the city’s elites. The Bishops’ penthouse was currently crawling with them. She hadn’t wanted to make such a big deal out of her birthday. She hadn’t wanted a big party. She had flat out refused it, actually, but Anne had insisted it would be good for her to be around other children, something about being sociable and having friends her own age. Not that she didn’t want friends. She did, but most of the kids that were here weren’t the kind of friends she wanted. Some were spoiled brats and some were stuck-up snob, but there were a couple she found to be surprisingly tolerable.

Kate was currently sitting at the head of a large dining table, her sister Susan sitting directly to her right. Normally this spot was reserved for her father, as he was the head of the family, but this was her party. Everyone had just finished with the lunch that their chef had prepared for the party. They were now waiting on the cake to be brought out. At that moment, Anne walked into the room, and waved Kate over to her. She slid off of her chair and ran over to her.

Anne knelt down to her height, “How are you enjoying the party?” She had a smile on her face. She recognized that smile. It was usually paired with bad news.

“I guess.”

“Was it worth the torture of socialization?”

“With these brats? No way,” her remark earned her a quiet chuckle from Anne, “When is father going to be here?”

Again, the smile returned, “I’m sorry, sweetie.”

“He’s not coming, is he?”

“He said something came up.”

“Whatever,” Was she disappointed? Yes. Was she surprised? No. Kate turned away from Anne and trudged back over to reclaim her seat.

She really should’ve seen it coming. This is what he did. He made promises and then he broke them. He wasn’t there for them. He never had been. He couldn’t even be bothered to attend his daughter’s sixth birthday.z

Kate was now slumped over in her seat, her head propped up by her arm, and was staring at the table, “Don’t be such a sourpuss at your own party,” Kate looked up to see her sister looking at her.

“He’s not coming,” She mumbled.

“So?”

“So, he’s never here.”

“Your point?”

“He doesn’t love us. Don’t you care?”

“There’s nothing to care about,” Susan hissed, “So what if father isn’t here? We’re rich, we live in a big penthouse, we have staff to take care of us, and we get anything we could ever want. We could be living on the streets, begging for money. Be thankful for what you have and forget about what you don’t”

With that, Susan hopped off her chair and stormed away, leaving Kate at the table. She didn’t care. Susan didn’t care that their father didn’t love him.

Kate impatiently sat through the rest of her party. She made sure to fake a smile every now and then and engage in a couple of activities, but she didn’t want to be there. She wanted to be anywhere but there.

The party ended up lasting for another hour and a half. Once it ended, Kate ran straight to her room. She didn’t even bother to gather up her presents first to take them with her. She threw herself on her bed. The next thing she knew, she was crying into her pillow, a heavy stream of tears going from her eyes to her cheeks and her pillow. She had no idea how long she was laying with her face in her pillow, but before long, she had cried herself to sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

“Come here, my darling Kate,” Anne’s voice pulled Kate out of her own head.

She looked up as Susan walked past her and exited the room. She hadn’t been listening to their conversation, but it didn’t matter. Anne had wanted to talk to them one at a time, so she was most likely about to have a similar conversation with her herself.

Kate made her way over to the bed that Anne now resided in. She was doing everything in her power not to cry, not to break down in front of her. Anne reached out and cupped the side of Kate’s face with one of her hands.

“Please don’t leave me,” Kate said in a barely audible whisper. Her head dropped and she was once again staring at the ground.

“Oh, my sweet girl, we both know I don’t get to make that choice,” Anne smiled down at her, “but I am going to miss you so much.”

“I’m going to miss you too,” It was then that Kate finally broke down. She couldn’t keep it in any longer, she couldn’t stop herself from crying.

She felt Anne’s arms wrap around her and pull her up onto the bed next to her, “I’m so sorry.”

Kate curled into the woman and practically clung to her as she cried. She couldn’t lose Anne. She just couldn’t. Anne was the only person that cared about her, the only person who treated her like she was important. How was she supposed to say goodbye?

She understood death better now than she had three years ago when her mother had died, but it was still just as painful to lose someone she cared about. Anne had gotten sick, just like her mother, and was dying.

“I’m going to a better place, I promise.”

“I know,” Kate said in between sobs.

“Look at me,” Kate obeyed and looked up at her.

Anne wiped the tears streaming from her eyes off her cheeks, “Never forget how much I love you. For the past seven years, I’ve had the joy of knowing you and watching you grow. You are one of the strongest little girls I have ever known, you and your sister both. You will be okay without me, I promise.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I know you,” Anne hugged her one last time, “Now run along, it’s getting late. You and I both need to rest.”

Kate reluctantly pulled herself away from Kate and left. She went straight back to her room and got herself ready for bed. As she laid in bed that night, she couldn’t stop thinking about Anne. Who would take care of them after she was gone? She had overheard the staff talking about getting a new nanny, but she just couldn’t see anyone ever being able to take Anne’s place.

The next morning, she and Susan had been given heartbreaking news. Anne had died. She had gone peacefully in her sleep, but was gone nonetheless. She had broken down on the spot, whereas Susan had bolted from the room, most likely to be alone to mourn.

She spent the next few days holed away in her room, until her mourning was cut short by the arrival of her father roughly a week after Anne’s death. She hadn’t been expecting him to show up. Why would he? He had proven time and time again that he didn’t care.

She and Susan had been summoned to the lounge first thing in the morning. When they arrived, Derek Bishop had been standing at the front of the room with an older woman neither of them had recognized.

“Girls, come here,” He said in the authoritative tone in which he usually spoke. They both obeyed and approached the two adults.

“I would like to introduce you to your new nanny, Miss Helen Richards,” he said, “I’m afraid I have to get going, Helen, the staff will be here to help you settle in, should you need it, or for anything else,” the woman nodded and their father left.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Helen,” Susan said, giving the woman a smile.

Helen’s cold gaze immediately shifted to them, “You will address me by Miss Richards, young lady. Am I understood?”

“Yes ma’am,” they both said in unison

Helen gave them both a once over, “Look at the state of you. Absolutely unacceptable.”

The rest of the day, the girls spent their time learning just how horrible of a person the woman was. She constantly berated them. This woman was not Anne. She was the exact opposite. She was cold, cruel, uncaring. She didn’t care about the girls like Anne had. Anne saw them as family and treated them as such. This woman was different. She was only here for the job.

Kate missed Anne.

 

* * *

 

 

A few weeks before Kate was to celebrate her eighth birthday, she had woken up early one morning to a commotion down the hall, most likely the family room. According to the clock, it was 5am. She had slipped out of her bed and exited her room. She tiptoed down the hall, following the sound of hushed voices.

Once she reached the family room, she cracked the door and peeked in. Ms. Richards, the family’s butler, and one of the maids were gathered together in the middle of the room. Before she could hear what was going on, the butler spotted her watching through the crack.

“Miss Kate, what are you doing up?” the two women also turned to look at her. Kate pushed the door the rest of the way open. What was the point in hiding behind it now?

“I was woke up by the noise. What’s going on?”

The three adults shared a glance before the maid finally spoke up, “Something’s happened.”

“What?” the adults once again shared a look.

“Go get your sister, Katherine,” Ms. Richards told her, so she did.

Kate quickly ran to her sister’s room, which was directly across from her. She woke up Susan, who was not happy about being woken up so early, and told her that she was needed in the family room. She led her sister back to the three adults.

"What's going on?" Susan asked.

Their butler gestured for them to sit down. They did, "I'm afraid we have some terrible news," he had a dark look on her face, "There's been an accident."

"What kind of accident?"

"You're aware father was supposed to return today?" Ms. Richards asked.

Both girls nodded 

The butler continued, "Well I'm afraid he won't be. He was hit by a car on his way from the airport. He didn't make it."

Both girls sat there in shock. Kate hadn't loved the man. Her relationship with him was lousy, to say the least, but she had never wished him ill. As terrible as he was at it, he was still her father. And now he was gone.

He was dead.

Derek Bishop was dead.

The realization finally sunk in. She was an orphan. She wasn't even eight yet. In four short years, she had lost her mother, her nanny, and her father.

"What's going to happen to us?" Kate asked.

All three adults got grim looks on their faces before the butler spoke up again, "That's the thing. You have no living relatives and your father never mentioned in his will who you would go to if something were to happen to him. Unfortunately, you're more than likely going to go into the system."

Kate felt like she couldn't breathe. She felt a hand on hers and looked up to see Susan looking at her, worried.

"Girls," Ms. Richards voice snapped them both back to reality, "I feel its important to let you know that your father did leave everything to the both of you. It'll be split evenly. Once you each turn 18, you'll get your respective inheritances."

They nodded, "You said we were going into the system? When?" Susan asked.

"As soon as the social workers come to get you. We're not sure when that'll be just yet."

Kate couldn't take anymore and ran out of the room. The next thung she knew, she was back in her room. Her thoughts were racing with her current situation. She laid on her bed for nearly an hour, trying to make sense of everything.

Someone was coming to take her away. Where were they going to take her? What if they took her somewhere bad? What if her life only got worse?

No.

She wasn't going to let her life be dictated and possibly ruined by strangers. Kate thought long and hard about what she was about to do, if she was sure she wanted to do it, if it was a good idea, if she even had the guts to do it. In the end, she did.

She crawled off of her bed and went to lock her bedroom door. She dug through her closet and pulled out the biggest backpack she could find. She then grabbed a few outfits and stuffed them into the bag. She went around her room and grabbed her piggy bank, her ipod, a couple of her favorite toys, and a few more various items and shoved them into the bag, as well.

After she was done packing, she stopped once more and asked herself all of the.same questions one last time, just to be sure. The answers were still the same.

She walked over to her bedroom window and opened it. There was a fire escape directly one floor below. She closed her eyes, gathered up her courage, and jumped. She landed hard, but it didn't hurt her too bad. The worst she would have is a bruise.

She then proceeded to climb down the fire escape and run out onto the streets of New York City. She ran for a quite a while until she was sure she was far enough away and had gotten tired. She slipped into and alleyway and hid herself from the view of anyone passing by the alley on the street by aitting behind a large dumpster.

She closed her eyes and let herself slump back against the brick wall.

This was it.

There was no turning back now.


End file.
